1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hydrostatic bearings for rotating journals, and is particularly concerned with journals used in high pressure turbopumps.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydrostatic bearings are employed in turbomachinery to provide rotor support and damping by maintaining a thin film of fluid under pressure in the space between the journal and the bearing member to avoid physical contact between these solid parts during operation.
Many designs of hydrostatic bearings exist, most of which use radially fed fluids to the center of the bearing and employ seals in the bearing sump area to maintain the fluid under pressure between the journal and the bearing member. The bearing may come in contact with the journal particularly during start up and shut down of the turbomachine. The resultant rubbing wears the contacting surfaces resulting in an ever increasing gap, which decreases the performance of the hydrostatic bearing.